Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

शक्तीनां परमाश्चर्यं मंत्रसाधनपूर्वकम् । या तु राधा मया प्रोक्ता कृष्णार्द्धांगसमुद्भवा ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

śaktīnāṃ paramāścaryaṃ maṃtrasādhanapūrvakam | yā tu rādhā mayā proktā kṛṣṇārddhāṃgasamudbhavā || 10 ||

Translation

Entre todas las śaktis divinas, la más asombrosa—alcanzada mediante la previa disciplina en la práctica de mantras—es esa Rādhā de la que he hablado, surgida de la mitad misma del cuerpo de Kṛṣṇa, como su contraparte.

Word by Word

• शक्तीनाम्: of the powers (śaktis)
• शक्तीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• परम-आश्चर्यम्: the greatest wonder
• परम-आश्चर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—परमं च तत् आश्चर्यम् (कर्मधारय)

• मन्त्र-साधन-पूर्वकम्: preceded by mantra-practice
• मन्त्र-साधन-पूर्वकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—मन्त्रस्य साधनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + पूर्वकम् (‘preceded by’)

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• राधा: Radha
• राधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रोक्ता: was declared/said
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—प्र; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ

• कृष्ण-अर्द्ध-अङ्ग-समुद्भवा: born from Krishna’s half-body
• कृष्ण-अर्द्ध-अङ्ग-समुद्भवा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कृष्णस्य अर्द्धम् अङ्गम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्मात् समुद्भवा (‘born from’)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Radha
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies Rādhā as the most wondrous śakti, inseparable from Kṛṣṇa (arising from His own half-body), emphasizing divine unity and the supreme place of devotion centered on their oneness.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By presenting Rādhā as Kṛṣṇa’s own intrinsic power, it frames bhakti as approaching Kṛṣṇa through His śakti—devotion becomes intimate and relational, grounded in the inseparability of the Lord and His divine energy.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to mantra-sādhana (disciplined mantra practice) as a prerequisite—linking technical, methodical practice (mantra-vidhi and sādhana) with realized theological insight into śakti and the deity.